Health Benefits of Almonds:

Those who consume nuts five times a week have about a 50 percent reduction in risk of heart attack according to the Loma Linda School of Public Health.

Almonds lower ‘bad’ cholesterol.

Almonds added to the diet have a favorable effect on blood cholesterol levels, according to a clinical study by Dr. Gene Spiller, Director of the Health Research and Studies Center, Inc.

Almonds protects artery walls from damage.

It was found that the flavonoids in almond skins work in synergy with the vitamin E, thus educing the risk of heart disease (Research at Tufts University).

Almonds help build strong bones and teeth.

The phosphorus in almonds helps make this possible.

Almonds provide healthy fats and aid in weight loss:

Although nuts are high in fat, frequent nut eaters are thinner on average than those who almost ever consume nuts. (Data from the Nurses’ Health Study)

Those who ate nuts at least two times per week were 31 percent less likely to gain weight than were those who never or seldom ate them in a study involving 8865 adults. (WHFood’s article on almonds)

Almonds lower the rise in blood sugar and insulin after meals.

Almonds help provide good brain function.

Almonds contain riboflavin and L-carnitine, nutrients that boost brain activity and may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Almonds nourish the nervous system.

According to Ayurveda, almonds help increase high intellectual level and longevity.

Almonds alkalize the body.

Almonds are the only nut and one of the few proteins that are alkaline forming. When your body is not alkaline enough, you risk osteoporosis, poor immune function, low energy and weight gain.

History Of Almods:

The almond (or badam in Indian English, from Persian: ??????) is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia.

"Almond" is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genus Prunus, it is classified with the peach in the subgenus Amygdalus, distinguished from the other subgenera by the corrugated shell (endocarp) surrounding the seed.

The fruit of the almond is a drupe, consisting of an outer hull and a hard shell with the seed (which is not a true nut) inside. Shelling almonds refers to removing the shell to reveal the seed. Almonds are sold shelled (i.e., after the shells are removed), or unshelled (i.e., with the shells still attached). Blanched almonds are shelled

almonds

that have been treated with hot water to soften the seedcoat, which is then removed to reveal the white embryo.

The almond is native to the Mediterranean climate region of the Middle East, eastward as far as the Indus River in Pakistan. In Iran, India and Pakistan, it is known as Badam. It was spread by humans in ancient times along the shores of the Mediterranean into northern Africa, Asia and southern Europe and more recently transported to other parts of the world, notably California, United States.

The wild form of domesticated almond grows in parts of the Levant; almonds must first have been taken into cultivation in this region. The fruit of the wild forms contains the glycoside amygdalin, "which becomes transformed into deadly prussic acid (hydrogen cyanide) after crushing, chewing, or any other injury to the seed.”

While the almond is often eaten on its own, raw or toasted, it is also a component of various dishes. Almonds are available in many forms, such as whole, sliced (flaked, slivered), and as flour. Almonds yield almond oil and can also be made into almond butter or almond milk. These products can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes.